Why Brands Can't Say 'Super Bowl' In Their Commercials

With Super Bowl LX on the horizon, brands are keen as ever to capitalize on what will surely be one of the most viewed sporting events of the year. However, you might have noticed that some of the TV commercials airing in the lead-up to the championship game don't mention the Super Bowl directly.

The term "Super Bowl" is an NFL trademark, and licensing that trademark is very, very expensive. After all, the NFL makes a lot of money from "Super Bowl" commercials – 30-second slots for this year's game have cost upward of $10 million.

Of course, there are ways around not being able to mention the Super Bowl in commercials. Brands that aren't willing or able to license the name will refer to it as "the big game" or something along those lines instead. What's more, the brands that pay to license the name still have to work within strict parameters. According to L.A. Tech & Media Law, parties that purchase Super Bowl ad spots can only mention the name of the event for a limited period of time.

In the past, the league has sent cease-and-desists to bars and even churches that host Super Bowl parties and charge an admission fee. In short, if an entity of any kind uses the term for commercial gain, they can expect a letter from the NFL's lawyers.